Term | Definition |
osseous | Bony; composed of bone; pertaining to bone. |
osteoblast | A cell associated with the production of bone. |
osteoclast | A large cell associated with the absorption and removal of bone. |
osteocyte | A mature osteoblast. |
collagen | A fibrous insoluble protein found in the white fibers of connective tissue including bone, ligaments, and tendons. When boiled, it becomes gelatin. |
periosteum | The specialized connective tissue covering all the bones of the body. |
endosteum | The connective tissue membrane lining the medullary cavity of bone. |
medullary | Pertaining to bone marrow or the inner portion of an organ. |
diaphysis | The portion of a long bone between its ends; the shafts of a bone. |
epiphysis | The end of a long bone that is usually wider than the shaft. Contains a center for growth in length. |
ossification | The formation of bone; the normal process of hardening of bone by calcification. |
calcification | Deposit of calcium salts within bony tissues. |
axis | A straight line (imaginery) passing through the center about which a body or part may rotate. |
axial | Pertaining to or forming an axis. |
appendidicular | Pertaining to an appendage such as a limb or extremity. |
skeleton | The bony framework of the body consisting of 206 bones. |
skeletal | Pertaining to the skeleton. |
cranium | The skull; that portion of the skull which encloses the brain. |
frontal | Pertaining to the forehead or forehead bone. |
parietal | Pertaining to the two bones that form most of the roof and upper sides of the cranium. |
temporal | Pertaining to the temple or central sides of the cranium; of the two bones of the cranium located above and around each ear. |
occipital | Pertaining to the back and most of the lower base of the skull. |
sphenold | Wedge-shaped; pertaining to the bat-shaped bone that extends behind the eyes, forming the anterior base of the cranium and part of each orbit. |
ethmoid | Sieve-like, pertaining to the delicate bone that forms much of the internal nasal structure and part of each orbit. |
suture | One of the jagged seams that unite the adjoining bones of the skull. |
fontanel | A space located at the junction of the sutures in the skull of the infant. The fontanels are often called "soft spots." |
sinus | One of the eight air-filled cavities in the skull that communicate with the nasal cavity. |
orbital | Pertaining to the orbit or eye socket. |
zygoma | The cheekbone. The two zygomae form the bony arch that extends along the front and side of the skull below the orbits. |
maxilla | One of the pair of bones forming the upper jaw. |
maxillary | Pertaining to the upper jaw bone. |
mandible | The lower jaw bone; horseshoe-shaped. |
mandibular | Pertaining to the lower jaw bone. |
nasal | Pertaining to the nose or one of the two bones that form the bridge of the nose. |
vertebra | A backbone; any one of the bones of the spinal column. |
intervertebral | Situatued between two adjacent verterbrae. |
cervical | Pertaining to the neck; the seven cervical vertebrae are designated. |
thoracic | Pertaining to the chest; the 12 thoracic vertebrae are designated. |
sacrum | The large triangular bone near the lower end of the spinal column to which hip bones are attached. Composed of five fused vertebrae. |
coccyx | The tail bone or small bone at the end of the spinal column. Formed by the fusion or several rudimentary vertebrae. |
coccygeal | Pertaining to the coccyx or tail bone. |
costa | A rib. |
intercostal | Between the ribs; situated between the ribs. |
sternum | The breastbone; a long flat bone shaped somewhat like a dagger and joined to the cartilages of most of the ribs anteriorly. |
manubrium | The upper portion of the sternum. |
xiphoid process | The lower end of the sternum. |
pelvis | The large basin or cup-shaped ring of bone at the base of the spinal column. Sometimes referred to as the pelvic girdle. Consists of 2 bones, each of which is composed of 3 fused bones: the pubis, ischium and ilium. |
pelvic | Pertaining to the pelvis or pelvic bone. |
ilium | The superiormost (uppermost) bone of each pelvic bone. The widest of the 3 fused bones of the hip bone. |
ischium | The inferoposterior bone of each of the pelvic or hip bones. |
pubis | The inferoposterior bone of each of the hipbones (pubic bones). |
symphysis pubis | The cartilaginous joint formed by the union of the 2 pubic bones at the midline. |
clavicle | The collar bone or clavicula; a curved bone that joins with the sternum medially and the acromion process of the scapula. |
clavicular | Pertaining to the collar bone. |
scapula | The shoulder blade; a large flat triangular bone. |
glenoid | Socket-like; resembling a socket. |
acromion | The lateral extension of the projecting spine of the scapula. Projects over the shoulder joint forming the highest point of the shoulder. |
humerus | The upper arm bone. The head of the proximal end fits into the glenoid cavity. The distal end articulates with the bones of the forearm. |
radius | The shorter and thicker of the two forearm bones located on the side of the thumb. |
ulna | The forearm bone on the side of the little finger that extends from the wrist to the elbow. The proximal end forms the olecranon process or elbow. |
carpus | The eight bones of the wrist; the wrist. |
metacarpus | The five bones of the hand between the wrist and fingers. |
phalanx | Any bone of a finger or toe, each finger or toe having three such bones are the proximal, middle, and distal bones. |
acetabulum | The hip socket; the cup-shaped cavity on the outer aspect of the hip bone. |
os innominatum | The innomative (having no name) bone. It forms the lateral half of the pelvis. |
os coxae | The hip bone or pelvic bone. |
femur | The thigh bone; the longest, strongest bone in the human body. |
patella | The knee-cap; a small flat triangular bone located in front of the knee joint within the inserting tendon of the quadriceps femoris muscle. |
tibia | The shin bone; the medial, larger bone of the lower leg. |
fibula | The smaller lateral bone of the lower leg. One of the longest and thinnest bones of the body. |
tarsus | The ankle; the 7 bones of the ankle including the heel bone. |
calcaneus | The heel bone; the irregular bone at the back of the tarsus. Also called the calcaneum and os calcis. |
metatarsus | The part of the foot between the tarsus and the toes; the 5 long bones that extend from the tarsus tot the toes; the 5 long bones that extend from the tarsus to the toes. Also called the metatarsals and metatarsal bones. |
phalangeal | Pertaining to the phalanx or the phalanges. |
condyle | A rounded knobby projection at the end of a bone that fits into a joint. |
malleolus | The rounded bony prominence or projection on either side of the ankle joint. The medial malleolus is located at the distal end of the tibia; the lateral malleolus at the distal end of the fibula. |
fossa | A furrow or depression in a bone or other structure. |
olecranon | The large process of the ulna forming the bony preminence of the elbow. |
foramen | A natural opening, especially in a bone, that may pass into or through the bone. |
meatus | A tube-shaped passage. |
mastoid | Formed like a breast or nipple; pertaining to the mastoid process of the temporal bone (projection behind the ear). |
process | A noticable projection of the bone. |
articulation | A joint; the junction of two or more bones. |
ligament | A band of strong fibrous connective tissue serving to hold the articular ends of bones together or to hold organs in place. |
tendon | A strong cord of fibrous connective tissue serving to attach muscles to bones. |
bursa | A small closed sac containing synovial fluid, usually found within joint areas (between moving parts) subject to friction. |
meniscus | A crescent-shaped fibrocartilage in the knee joint. Each knee has a medial and a lateral meniscus which act as cushions between the ends of the bones in the knee joint. |
retinaculum | Tight transverse fibrous bands or ligaments that serve to bind down the tendons close to the bones as they pass over a joint. |